


Of Unexpected Events

by Glyphhunter



Category: Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: /borrows Padalinkingood's RT/AH Hybrid X AU theory, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrid AU, I'm Sorry, M/M, Post-Game(s), i don't know what happened
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-10-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 12:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2468588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glyphhunter/pseuds/Glyphhunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or when Alvin's curiosity gets the better of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Unexpected Events

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the 30 Day OTP Challenge  
> 10 - With animal ears

While he’d heard the reports from Drellin, Alvin didn’t put much stock in them. They were outlandish and rather impossible sounding but enough of them had reached his ears that morbid curiosity had him taking a jaunt through the city before he returned home. There were less people on the streets than usual, that much he would admit, but there was nothing really out of the ordinary. No sign of people suddenly sprouting animal appendages, that was for sure. Just nut bags wanting to send the world into a panic.

Curiosity sated, Alvin attributed it to some flu strain and didn’t give the ridiculous claims a second thought. The only animal features a person could gain were false and easily removed.

When he woke up two days later feeling like a sledgehammer had crushed his bones, he wasn’t thinking clearly enough to tie his illness to Drellin. Any attempt at opening his eyes sent daggers shooting through his skull and voicing his discomfort only seemed to make it worse. Then the smell hit his nose and it was all he could do not to throw up on the bed.

The aftermath left him reeling and on the verge of passing out as he clung to the edge of the bed and despite how warm the room seemed to be, chills ran down his spine near constantly. He spared a brief thought for the blanket but didn’t want to make the effort to reach for it and instead curled up as much as he could without causing too much pain.

After what felt like ages and an instant all at once, someone appeared at his side with a blessedly cool hand against his face. He probably made some sort of noise that was unbecoming of a full grown man but at that moment, he certainly didn’t feel full grown and quite frankly didn’t care. A deep breath had that stomach churning smell invading his nose again, stronger than ever and he didn’t even have time to lurch over the edge of the bed.

He didn’t know if having an empty stomach made it better. He gagged and nothing came up and it repeated in a dreadfully painful pattern until he ran out of energy and blacked out.

Waking up again was a trip that included a shadowy silhouette that liked to hover over him and smelled a lot like peaches. He decided he like this smell better. It reminded him of his mom and didn’t make him sick. They also liked to talk to him and though he didn’t really understand most of what they said, he tried his best to answer. He got the sense that he didn’t do as well as he thought and decided to try again after he’d slept a bit more. Maybe he shouldn’t have called them ‘mom’.

Third time seemed to be the charm in terms of brain functionality. Not so much in the pain department. He still hurt though it was just the slightest more manageable and it seemed to have localized itself to the base of his spine. Never had he had a cramp so bad and after a moment of reflection, hesitated to call it even that.

He groaned, wishing he had immediate access to an elixir and hoping that the one in the medicine cabinet hadn’t gone bad. The curtains were closed but a strip of light still managed to get through and Alvin noticed that it no longer seemed to be as much of an issue as he slowly heaved himself upright and wow, did sitting ever feel like a terrible idea. He flopped back down and twisted to his side to relieve some of the pressure and _by the gods_ that was the best decision he ever made. It was like heaven deigned to caress his ass.

With the cramp-that-wasn’t quickly dissipating, more sleep sounded like the next best thing and he curled up around his pillow with a happy moan to do just that.

Jude was the one to wake him up afterwards with a hand on his shoulder and looking rather exhausted beneath his evident worry. “You need to eat something,” he said, softly and carefully as if Alvin wouldn’t recognise him and understand. Alvin realized with grim clarity that Jude had done this more than once if his demeanor was anything to go by and he wondered just how long he’d been out of it.

“Jude,” he breathed as he lifted himself up and reached for his lover, unable to let him believe such a thing any longer. Hope seemed to take over as trembling hands cupped his face and Alvin swallowed thickly through the guilt that suddenly made it hard to breathe.

“You’re okay,” Jude’s voice shook with the tears that were quickly forming and Alvin could only nod. “You’re okay,” he repeated then laughed as if he didn’t quite believe it was true, “you’re not- You’re really-“ Jude’s hand shifted and his fingers slid uninterrupted through Alvin’s hair and that was the moment where he realized that something was... off.

His eyes widened as he tensed and Jude seemed to know what was wrong because his grip was suddenly firm and his joy was taken over by caution once again as he brought Alvin close and didn’t give him a chance to escape. “You’re fine, you’re fine,” he was murmuring into his ear and Alvin couldn’t see how that was case since he ears seemed to have _moved_ while he was unaware _._

“Jude, what?” he clutched at Jude’s arms as he stared at the far wall and the hold relaxed somewhat with the knowledge that Alvin still knew who he was. Jude took a deep breath then slowly pulled away though he didn’t let go. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again before he sighed.

“I think it’s best if you see for yourself,” he said then rose from his perch on the side of the bed. Alvin followed and once he was on his feet, a second realization ran through him. His boxers sat awkwardly on his hips and he knew it was because something was firmly _in the way_.

“ _Jude_ ,” he hedged, wanting to know what was going on but not curious enough to look. Jude shook his head.

“Bathroom first,” he allowed and it didn’t take them very long to get there after that.

He saw the problem perched atop his head as soon as he looked in the mirror and he watched them flick back in an instant in response to his discomfort. He didn’t even need to look to know he had a tail.

“More and more reports are coming in from Drellin,” Jude started softly from the doorway and Alvin watched slightly detached as one ear perked before settling back, “people sprouting ears, wings, tails, horns. At first, I didn’t know what was wrong with you but then,” he paused to grip his right wrist and shift to a stance that echoed his teenage years, “I remembered you had gone to Drellin before you came home, right when the reports were starting to come in and I thought, maybe that’s what’s wrong. Maybe it’s not-”

His breath caught in his throat and Alvin forced himself to look away from the mirror. Jude was looking at the floor, shoulders hunched and shaking as he gripped his wrist like a lifeline. “You called me ‘mom’, at first,” he admitted, “and I was so relieved when the ears came in ‘cause it meant that it wasn’t your mother’s illness coming through and that you would come back to me if the reports were to be believed but then- Then-” he took a deep shuddering breath as if to steady himself, “then you woke up and it was like the animal had taken over and it felt like I had lost you all over again.”

Alvin couldn’t find anything to say to that but he didn’t let it stop him from reaching out and taking Jude into his arms and pressing his nose into his hair. Jude’s arms came around him as he pressed closer and the guilt in Alvin’s chest grew when he felt the tears against his skin.

He didn’t know how long they stayed in the bathroom but eventually, Jude calmed down enough that Alvin was comfortable with letting him go. “Just... how long was I out?” he asked before he could chicken out because with the way Jude was talking...

“Two weeks,” Jude said then his breath hitched and Alvin thought he was gonna break out in tears all over again. But a deeper breath had him holding himself together enough so he could continue, “For two weeks, I’ve had to deal with this bullshit so I hope you’re ready for when it comes to be my turn.” _...What?_

His surprise must’ve been evident because Jude barked out a laugh that shocked him just about as much as it shocked Alvin. “I’m sorry,” Jude apologized and hid his smile as Alvin felt his new ears fold against his head, “it’s just, with everything that’s happened, this all feels surreal.”

“Bit of an understatement,” Alvin quipped and when Jude’s hands dropped from his face, he could feel his tail wag behind him. ... That was going to take some getting used to.      He spared another glance to the mirror, actually looking at the shape and colour of his ears and, when he finally twisted around, the state of his tail.

“A Northern Sheppard, huh?” he sighed and Jude nodded at his side, “why couldn’t I have been a cat?” He went back to looking at himself through the glass as Jude snorted but didn’t say anything. The sight of the shower behind him reminded him of the reason why he’d called Jude ‘mom’ in the first place.

“It was your soap,” he said and when Jude only stared at him in confusion, he realized he should probably elaborate. “That first night, when I called you ‘mom’, it was because of your soap.” Jude’s eyes widened as he also looked to the shower, though not through the mirror. Alvin sighed again.

“I only really remember being aware three times,” he started and Jude’s attention was immediately back on him, “the first is when I’m guessing all of this started and I threw up after smelling whatever it was you were cooking. The second time it was dark and I couldn’t see shit but literally all I could smell were peaches and the third time was, I think, this morning and only because I was laying on my tail wrong.” He swallowed hard as the fact that he’d lost two weeks of his life hit him.

“I guess it’s a good thing that I like to buy women’s body wash, then,” Jude stated after a moment, voice still shaky but clearly steadier than before. He shook his head as he took Alvin’s arm and guided him out of the bathroom, “Come on, you still need to eat.” Honestly, Alvin didn’t feel all that hungry. Still, he went along if only to lessen Jude’s worries.

Another thing became clear when Alvin stepped into the kitchen. It wasn’t as noticeable in the rest of the apartment where things were still partially shadowed and the bathroom itself done in greys but... He raised a hand and covered his right eye as he scanned the room that was normally full of colour.

“Alvin?” Jude frowned at him from the stove and Alvin had to laugh because if he didn’t, he thought he might very well cry.

“I can’t,” he shook his head as he covered the other one for a moment before letting his hand fall, “I’m colour blind in one eye and I think the other one’s going too.” His laughter didn’t sound very much like laughter even to his own ears. “Everything’s muted and I can barely see red. _Jude_ ,” he reached out and Jude dropped the ladle back into the pot to meet him part way. Alvin took Jude’s face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together as he squeezed his eyes shut, “I can’t _see_ you anymore.”

Gentle fingers ran through his hair and Alvin opened his eyes to see the muted gold of Jude’s. He took a deep breath to keep himself together as Jude gave him a comforting smile. “You’ll be okay,” he assured, “I know it may not seem like it now but remember; I spent nearly a week thinking you were for gone for good and _you came back_. Who knows, it might be the same with your eyes, you just need to give it time.”

“Right,” he croaked as Jude pressed a kiss to his brow, “time.”

“Exactly,” Jude nodded and took Alvin’s hands to hold them between his own, “just know that I love you, no matter what.” Alvin nodded back as he swallowed through the tightness in his throat.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Gonna be a part 2 'cause I can't just leave it there. I may or may not continue after that.


End file.
